grego's Forum Topics

A very basic question about wood movement.
Paul Sellers has this wonderful series of Youtube videos on making a dovetailed box. One thing he does is glue a solid wood bottom directly to the bottom of the box. I’ve read in several places how box bottoms need to “float” in grooves because of expansion as the wood absorbs moist...

A beginner question I hope someone can answer…
Would two differently-sized rectangles of baltic birch centered and glued face-to-face be as strong as a single, thicker piece rabbeted around all four sides. (I hope I’m describing this well…)
The application is a small box lid:
Option 1 is to rabbet a small 3/8” or...

I’d like to shape a profile around the edge of a solid slab top for a small box using just hand tools, and I was thinking of picking up a couple of hollow and round planes from Lee Valley with a gift card I have. (They advertise a line of “traditional asian hollow and round planes” here: http://www.leevalley.com/en/wood/page.as...

There are plenty of details and plans around for power tool projects, but it seems to take a bit of work to track them down for hand tools. I’m sure the experienced woodworkers here could take any of those power-tool project details and convert them for hand tool execution, but I know know as a beginner I really enjoy finding a book or a ...

Asked for it in Home Depot yesterday to use with shellac. Looked at me as if I was a degenerate looking for a high, said “no”, and told me to use mineral spirits instead. Didn’t sound right to me.
Where should I look for denatured alcohol (and should I go out of town so my friends don’t see me buying it?)

Could I ask for a bit of guidance?
I’ve been re-honing blades using the Veritas MkII guide using the following sequence (for a 25 degree bevel plane blade, for example.):
- Set the blade in the guide for a 25-degree angle. Hone the primary bevel on a 1000 waterstone- Advance the guide setting to the micro-bevel position (about 27 deg...

I’d like to camber the blade on my smoother, and looking for advice.
Currently I’m I’m sharpening a straight edge on water stones using the Lee Valley guide to do a primary bevel on a 1000 stone and a micro-bevel with an 8000 stone. Then flattening a back-bevel using a ruler on the 8000 stone per Charlesworth.
Santa broug...

A question for any box-building neanders/galoots out there:
I would like to apply marquetry to the top of a 1/4” plywood or MDF panel, put balancing veneer on the bottom, and then glue the panel in grooves in a box lid.
I have 1/4” and 5/16” blades for my LV small plow plane. If I groove with the smaller blade, the panel ...

I’d love to get your thoughts on this: I’ve convinced myself to buy a router plane for cleaning up chiseled dados and grooves. Lee Valley has two available:
The router plane: http://www.leevalley.com/en/wood/page.aspx?p=52609&cat=1,41182,48945The small router plane: http://www.leevalley.com/en/wood/page.aspx?p=57677&cat=1,...

Hi folks.
Any tips for a struggling beginner trying to accurately hand-saw small (4” x 6”) panels from 1/4” stock for use in boxmaking?
- Hold wood vertically in a vise or do it on a bench hook?- Should I expect to get it right first time with the saw (after practice) or will I generally need to clean up using a plane and...

Hello all,
I’ve been reading the forums here for a while and I’m really impressed with the knowledge and accomplishments – very inspiring! As a beginner to woodworking myself I’d love to get your advice for some early projects.
The local hardwood lumber store sells “thins”: ¼” to 5/16” thick lumber planed on two sides. I thought I’d...